Queluz Palace & Mafra Convent: Private Tour with Guide

Two royal palaces and a library of 36,000 books in one day

A private tour of Queluz Palace and Mafra Convent near Sintra, led by a guide in your choice of language, with vehicle transport and entry tickets included. You visit the 18th-century rococo Queluz Palace, still used by the Portuguese government for state ceremonies; explore a restored village frozen in rural Portugal's past; see Mafra's extraordinary library holding about 36,000 volumes; and stop in Ericeira, a fishing village turned surf town, for lunch at a seafood restaurant of your choice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. National Palace of QueluzEntry included1h
2. National Palace of MafraEntry included1h 30m

Visit Queluz Palace, Mafra, and Ericeira

• Visit Royal Palace of Queluz
• Explore restored rural village
• Tour National Palace of Mafra library
• Historical explanation at site
• Lunch in Ericeira with seafood

The experience

Queluz Palace dates from the 18th century and stands as one of Europe's last rococo palaces. The Portuguese government still uses it today for state visits and protocol ceremonies, so you're walking through a working royal residence, not a museum piece. Your guide will walk you through the rooms and explain the palace's history and design: the stories behind the spaces matter as much as the architecture itself.

Between the two palaces, the tour includes a stop in a village that has been restored to show what rural Portugal looked like a century ago. The structural bones remain unchanged. The aesthetic has been brought back to life. It's a rare glimpse into how most of the country lived before modernization swept through. Then you reach Mafra Convent, where the library is the draw: nearly 36,000 volumes housed in a space designed to hold them, one of the most extraordinary libraries in Portugal and Europe. The scale and collection alone justify the stop.

Lunch happens in Ericeira, a coastal town that shifted from fishing to surfing culture. The restaurants there specialize in fresh fish and seafood, and you'll choose where to eat. The eight-hour day ends there, giving you time to walk the town if you want, or simply sit with a meal overlooking the water before heading back.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• entry tickets to Queluz Palace and Mafra Convent.
• a live guide in your chosen language.
• all vehicle expenses, insurances and tourism licensing.

Information

Lasts 8h, runs every day except Tuesday, 4 start times, from € 160 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except TuesdayDepartures at 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00Another day? ›

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and PortugueseOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to16h before

AgesAdult (17 and older) · Youth (6 to 16 years) · Child (under 6): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Portugal Unknown Tours

Is this one for you?Pickup is included, so you don't need a car or arrange your own transport from Sintra or nearby hotels. The eight-hour day is built around the two palaces and the stops between them, so everything fits into one departure without backtracking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 16 years); Child (under 6): free.

What is inside Queluz Palace that makes it different from other royal residences?

Queluz Palace is still an active royal residence used by the Portuguese government for state visits and ceremonies, so the rooms you see are maintained for actual use, not preserved as historical artifacts. The rococo design from the 18th century is the last of its kind built in Europe.

How many books are in the Mafra library, and what makes it worth seeing?

The library at Mafra Convent holds about 36,000 volumes and is considered one of the most extraordinary libraries in Portugal and Europe, both for the wealth of space it occupies and the value of the collection itself.

What is the restored village stop, and why is it on this tour?

The village has been restored aesthetically to show what rural Portugal looked like 100 years ago, when about 80 percent of the country lived in environments like this one. The structural elements remain unchanged. Only the appearance has been brought back to life, giving you a tangible sense of how the country lived before modernization.

Where do you eat lunch, and what kind of food is served there?

Lunch is in Ericeira, a fishing village on the coast now known for surfing. The restaurants there are famous for fresh fish and seafood, and you'll choose which one suits you. You can order typical dishes of Portuguese cuisine.